BJP, in an agreement with the Shiv Sena of not fielding Rane, announced its Maharashtra vice president Prasad Lad as the candidate for the legislative council by-poll elections. The decision was made after a series of meetings with Sena on Sunday.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis held a meeting with senior party leaders, including state unit chief Raosaheb Danve, which went on for more than three hours at his official residence Varsha in South Mumbai.Taking into account the strained relations between the two parties, getting Shiv Sena’s nod for Lad was tough. Lad himself reportedly met Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray at his residence Matoshree, after which there was another round of meetings with a Sena leader at Varsha.
Lad will have filed his nomination papers by 11:00 am on Monday at Vidhan Bhavan, in the presence of senior party leaders, though the CM will have left for Gujarat to campaign for the assembly elections. Now that Sena has welcomed Lad on board, his victory is imminent.
Rane also met the CM at Varsha, late on Sunday. BJP did not try to take Rane’s stand in the council election as the Sena has threatened to join hands with the Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress to ensure that he is defeated. As of now, he has been assured that he would get inducted into the upcoming winter session of the state legislature.
The Sena has 63 MLAs in the Maharashtra Assembly. Meanwhile, Congress has its own 42 MLAs as well as the NCP’s 41 to vote in the council by-poll. Dilip Mane, a former legislator from Solapur, has been inconspicuously fielded by the Congress. At least 145 MLA votes are required in order to win the seat, and that means, the Congress-NCP alliance is way behind the saffron alliance.
The BJP, with support from Independents and smaller parties, in addition to its own 122 MLAs, claims to have 138 voters in its reserve.
Thanks to those who supported me in this election. On Sunday night, I went to Matoshree and met Uddhav Thackeray. They have supported me. The party has taken this decision after seeing my work. BJP always fullfill their promise. Therefore, I will work to to help the party grow."
Prasad Lad, BJP candidate.
This party’s selection did upset many BJP leaders who now feel that they have been neglected. Rane, disowned by the NCP and joined with the BJP in just 18 months, is called as a close associate to the CM.
BJP also considered some other names like its spokesperson Madhav Bhandari and former legislators Pramod Jathar and Bal Mane.